Ceiling suspended, elevatable table



Oct. 11, 1949. o. F. BLUMER 2,484,673

CEILING SUSPENDED, ELEVATABLE TABLE Filed Aug. 26, 1946 2 sheets-sheet 1 K M w 4 \F 58 /7 /& M m /2 v l f 2/ 24 2a a! 30 I 35 i V 36 n 2 zz as T f 1 x IN VEN TOR.

Q. Blu/me Oct. 11, 1949.

O. F. BLUMER CEILING SUSPENDED ELEVATABLE TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 26, 1946 INVENTOR.

'71 Z a Z a Q ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES (IF EICE CEILING SUSPENDED, ELEVASIZABLE ,TABLE OphaFLBIumer; Moravia; Iowa- Application'August 26, 9 6;,SCliaLNO. 693,122

2 Glaimse (Cl. 311*1'7'):

In the llghtof theforegoingit' iS anbjeCtTOf thepresent inventiontb-provid'e a table of -novel design which is entirely freeoflegsor other'underlying support, whereby persons canbe seated' at any position around such table without-the annoyance of having to straddle a supporting leg:

Another objector the invention is-- to rovide a table of the character-stated, which is provided' with a central vertically extending suspension means, designed to be attachedto the ceilingofr' the room in which thetable isused= and tobee raised to a position closely:adjacent-tosuch'ceil ing, when not in use.

Still another object of the inventionds-to provide a suspended table structure wherein the: suspension means is of telescoping fornr and designed to extend through the ceiling of 'the roomin which the table is used; so that the table when not in use maybe rai'sed to a' position close-lyadjacent to such ceiling-thereby providing addi tional room space.

Other objects and advantages of" the: invention will become apparent asut'he description of' the same proceeds and the invention will'be best understood from a consideration ofthe iollowing detailed description taken. inconnection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification with the: understanding; however; that the invention is not confined to a strict conformity with the showing of, the, drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications: markr no,- materiali d?- parture from the salient featuresaofthea invention as expressed in,the appendediclaims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical section through a building and: a room-thereof -showing a; tablestructurejnstalled therein, in accordance with the, present invention, portions of' the structurevbeing, in se c tion,

Figure 2, is a vertical, longitudinalL seetio-n through the; table supporting. mechanism; ,showing the parts extended, the same being on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a ver iCal longitudinal section, on

,2 an enlarged scale through the table suspension mechanism, showing the same retracted.

Figure 4- is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 5-4 of Figure 3,

Referring-now more particularly to the drawings thenumeral It generally "designates a-building structure in which'is shown a room l I in bounded by the" annulus M, secured to the ceilin in-a suitable manner as; for; example, by the use oi -screws I5; This annulus I l has the inwardly directed flange Iii-which functions, in the manner hereinafter described, as'a stop for the body of the-tjable-when the latter -isdrawn upwardly into inoperative position.

Mounted'above the ceiling-opening lS upon a, suitable support such for example, a the ceiling joists H, 15 3, stopplate I8, which is secured in position in any suitable manner as, for example, by-t-he use of screws I9. This; stop plate lll'has ant-opening l8a whichis of substantially the sameinsid'd-iamete'r as the flange It and is concentric therewith and in addition it is provided at two or-more points with apertures 20 for the purpose hereinafter described.

The numeral 2! generally designates a telescoping hanger or support for the table 22. This hanger 2| is here shown as comprising the two cylinders 23' and 24f While only two units are shown as-making up the hanger 2!, it will/be readily apparent that more maybe used if found advisable.

The lowercylind'er 23 ;has a closure plate, 25 in'the; bottom or lower end thereof and this is secured by securing elements 26 to the table 22 as'shown.

circling flange 30 which when the supported structure 2| is extended, comes to rest against the under side of the inner collar 21 as shown in Figure 2. This flange carries a number of upstanding pins 3| which are designed to enter the openings 29 so as to couple the cylinders together against relative turning movement.

The overall diameter of the lower and larger cylinder 23 is only slightly less than the inside diameter of the flange l6 and ring l8 so that when the suspending structure is drawn up or collapsed it extends snugly through these parts as shown in Figure 3.

At its upper end the smaller cylinder 24 has connected thereto the integral head plate 32 which is of a diameter greater than the inside diameter of the ring l8 through which the small cylinder 24 extends so that when the cylinders are extended for the purpose of suspending the table at the proper elevation above the floor 33 of the room, for use, the head plate will come to rest upon the top of the ring l8 as shown in Figure 2. l

The head plate 32 carries pins 34, equal in numher to the apertures in the plate I8, which are designed to enter the apertures 20 in the plate I 8 when the support is extended, so as to hold the entire supporting structure against turning movement.

While any suitable means may be employed for telescoping the table supporting structure 2| for the purpose of raising the table there is here shown a lifting cable 35 which extends through the tubes as shown and is attached at one end, as at 36, to the table 22 and to the end plate 25 of the cylinder 23. This cable is passed upwardly into the area above the room ceiling l2 and over a suitable guide pulley 3! from which it is carried in a suitable manner as, for example, across the pulley 38, back down into the room H or into any other desired room where it is attached to a winding mechanism, generally designated 39. This mechanism is here shown as comprising a drum 40 having an operating crank 4| whereby it may be turned to wind up the cable for lifting the table. A suitable housing 42 may be provided to enclose the drum 40.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that there is provided in the present invention a novel table structure which when lowered to the full extent of the supporting means 2| may be maintained at the proper elevation above the floor 33 and used without the usual annoyance of having legs interfering with the proper positioning of persons around the table. When the table is fully lowered the pins 3| engage in the apertures 29 and the pins 34 engage in the apertures 20 so that the entire structure is held against rotation.

When the table is drawn up to the position shown in Figure 3 the larger cylinder will extend through the opening of the plate l8 and through the flange l6 of the annulus I4 and the top of the table will come to rest against the under side of the flange thus effectively closing the opening l3 in the ceiling.

If desired, suitable felt material may be placed inside the annulus I4 to wipe the surface of the cylinder 23 and the space between the inner and outer collars 2'! and 28 may be utilized in the same manner to wipe the surface of the cylinder 24. In this manner the cylinders may be kept clean and polished and also, when the table is raised and out of use, such material within the annulus l4 will prevent the passage of dust through the opening l3 downwardly into the room.

I claim: 7 v

1.- A table structure for use in a room having a ceiling provided with an opening, comprising a table body, a supporting unit consisting of two telescopically connected cylinders. one of the cylinders being secured at one end to the center of the table body, the other cylinder at its out-er end-having 'an in egral head plate, a supporting plate having a central opening through which the said other cylinder passes, means mountin said supporting plate above the room ceiling with the opening of the supporting plate concentric with said ceiling opening, the head plate normally resting upon the supporting plate, means for telescoping said cylinders and elevating the same through the ceiling opening and through the supporting plate opening to position the table body adjacent to the ceiling and the telescoped cylinders substan ially entirely above the ceiling, means for locking the head plate and supporting plate together against relative turning, which becomes-eifective when the supporting unit is in extended table supporting position, and means for locking the cylinders together against relative turning movement, which becomes efl'ective when the unit is in the said extended table supporting position.

'2. A table structurefor use in a room. having a ceiling provided with an opening, comprising a table body, a supporting unit consisting of two telescopically connected cylinders, one of the cylinders being sec'uredat one end to the center of the table body, the other cylinder at its outer end having an integral head plate, a supporting plate having a central opening through which the said other cylinder passes, means mounting said supporting plate above the room ceiling with the opening of the supporting plate concentric with said ceiling opening, the head plate normally resting upon the supporting plate, means for telescoping said cylinders and elevating the same through the ceiling opening and through the supporting plate opening to position the table body adjacent to the ceiling and the telescoped cylinders substantially entirely above the ceiling, and a stop collar encircling said ceiling opening and disposed upon the underside of the ceiling to be engaged by the table body when the latter is at its maximum elevated position.

OPHA F. BLUMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 146,711 Rissell Jan. 20, 1874 338,089 Lochner Mar. 16, 1886 458,071 Saum et a1. Aug. 18, 1891 610,933 Wagoner Sept. 20, 1898 916,413 Biedermann Mar. 30, 1909 1,229,138 Reischmann June 5, 1917 1,311,918 Seagers et al. Aug. 5, 1919 

